U.S. patent application number 10/864051 was filed with the patent office on 2004-11-04 for player-banked four card poker game.
This patent application is currently assigned to Shuffle Master, Inc.. Invention is credited to Snow, Roger M..
Application Number | 20040217548 10/864051 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46301391 |
Filed Date | 2004-11-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040217548 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Snow, Roger M. |
November 4, 2004 |
Player-banked four card poker game
Abstract
A player-banked casino game utilizes at least one deck of
playing cards, the game comprising: each player placing at least
one wager to participate in the casino game; dealing a first number
of cards to a dealer as a banker's hand, the first number of cards
being greater than the number of cards to be used in determination
of a poker rank hand for the banker's hand; dealing a second number
of cards to each player, the second number of cards being greater
than the number of cards to be used in determination of a poker
rank hand for each player; the dealer discarding at least one card
from the banker's hand to form a resulting single dealer hand; each
player discarding at least one card to form a resulting player's
hand for each player, wherein the number of cards in resulting
player's hands and the resulting banker's hand are equal; and
resolving each player hand against the banker's hand according to
predetermined game rules. The initial player's wagers must be at
least matched with a Game Bet (or play bet of 1.times. or more of
the Ante) to remain in the game after players have received their
cards. The Game Bet multiplier is selected by the player.
Inventors: |
Snow, Roger M.; (Las Vegas,
NV) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Mark A. Litman & Associates, P.A.
3209 West 76th Street
York Business Center, Suite 205
Edina
MN
55435
US
|
Assignee: |
Shuffle Master, Inc.
|
Family ID: |
46301391 |
Appl. No.: |
10/864051 |
Filed: |
June 8, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10864051 |
Jun 8, 2004 |
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10152325 |
May 20, 2002 |
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10152325 |
May 20, 2002 |
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10016436 |
Nov 1, 2001 |
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6698759 |
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10016436 |
Nov 1, 2001 |
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09249118 |
Feb 12, 1999 |
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6345823 |
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09249118 |
Feb 12, 1999 |
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09170092 |
Oct 13, 1998 |
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6237916 |
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09170092 |
Oct 13, 1998 |
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08889919 |
Jul 10, 1997 |
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6056641 |
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08889919 |
Jul 10, 1997 |
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08504023 |
Jul 19, 1995 |
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5685774 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
273/292 ;
273/303; 463/13 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 2001/005 20130101;
A63F 3/00157 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
273/292 ;
273/303; 463/013 |
International
Class: |
A63F 001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 29, 1994 |
GB |
94/26324 |
Jul 22, 1994 |
GB |
94/14822 |
Claims
What is claimed:
1. A player-banked casino game play method utilizing at least one
deck of playing cards, the method comprising: each player placing
at least one wager to participate in the casino game; dealing a
first number of cards to a dealer as a banker hand, said first
number of cards being greater than the number of cards to be used
in determination of a poker rank hand for the banker hand; dealing
a second number of cards to each player, said second number of
cards being greater than the number of cards to be used in
determination of a poker rank hand for each player; the dealer
utilizing fewer than all of the cards dealt to form a resulting
single banker hand; each player utilizing fewer than all of the
cards dealt to form a resulting player's hand for each player,
wherein the number of cards utilized in the resulting player's
hands and the resulting banker's hand are equal; and resolving each
player hand against the banker's hand according to predetermined
game rules.
2. The casino game of claim 1 wherein physical cards are provided
to each player and the dealer.
3. The casino game of claim 1 wherein the first number of cards and
the second number of cards are both five cards and the resulting
number of dealer's cards in the banker's hand and the resulting
number of player cards are both four cards.
4. The casino game play method of claim 1 wherein the game is
implemented on a multiple player gaming platform.
5. The casino game of claim 3 wherein, if the banker's hand does
not have at least a minimum predetermined rank of poker hand, the
banker's hand is provided with one more additional card.
6. The casino game of claim 1 wherein the player makes an Ante
wager prior to review of that player's second number of cards.
7. The casino game of claim 6 wherein after the player reviews that
player's second number of cards, that player may place a wager of
at least 1.times. the Ante wager to stay in the game.
8. The casino game of claim 6 wherein after the player reviews that
player's second number of cards, that player may place a wager of
greater then 1.times. the Ante wager when the player's resulting
number of cards' hand exceeds at least a predetermined minimum
poker ranking for a player's hand.
9. The casino game of claim 8 wherein the wager of greater than
1.times. is an amount equal to a multiple of the Ante wager.
10. The casino game of claim 9 wherein the multiple of the Ante
wager may be selected from the group consisting of 1.times., 2',
3.times., 4.times. and 5.times..
11. The casino game of claim 5 wherein the player makes an Ante
wager prior to review of that player's second number of cards.
12. The casino game of claim 11 wherein after the player reviews
that player's second number of cards, that player may place a wager
of at least 1.times. the Ante wager.
13. The casino game of claim 11 wherein after the player reviews
that player's second number of cards, that player may place a wager
of greater then 1.times. the Ante wager if the player's resulting
number of cards' hand exceeds at least a predetermined minimum
poker rank for a player's hand.
14. The casino game of claim 13 wherein the wager of greater than
1.times. may be an amount equal to a multiple of the Ante
wager.
15. The casino game of claim 13 wherein the multiple of the Ante
wager may be selected from the group consisting of 1.times.,
2.times., 3.times., 4.times. and 5.times..
16. The casino game of claim 5 wherein physical cards are provided
to each player and the dealer.
17. The casino game of claim 11 wherein physical cards are provided
to each player and the dealer.
18. The casino game of claim 15 wherein physical cards are provided
to each player and the dealer.
19. The casino game of claim 1 wherein the first number of cards
exceeds the second number of cards by at least one card.
20. The casino game of claim 5 wherein the first number of cards
exceeds the second number of cards by at least one card.
21. The casino game of claim 11 wherein the first number of cards
exceeds the second number of cards by at least one card.
22. The casino game of claim 15 wherein the first number of cards
exceeds the second number of cards by at least one card.
23. The casino game of claim 21 wherein physical cards are provided
to each player and the dealer.
24. The casino game of claim 22 wherein physical cards are provided
to each player and the dealer.
25. The casino game of claim 1, wherein each player places at least
one of an Ante and a Bonus Bet, and when a bonus bet is placed,
paying the player a payout for achieving a predetermined winning
card combination.
26. The casino game of claim 25, wherein multiple winning
combinations are predetermined, and payouts and combinations are
displayed on a pay table.
27. The casino game of claim 25, and further comprising an
automatic bonus paid on the ante for at least one predetermined
winning combination.
28. A live player-banked casino game play betting method comprising
the steps of: each player placing a first wager to participate in a
live casino game; a dealer dealing a plurality of cards to each
player; the dealer dealing a plurality of cards to the dealer as a
banker's hand; each player optionally folding or making an
additional bet that is a multiple of the first wager, wherein the
multiplication factor is at least 1 and selected by the player; and
resolving the wager according to predetermined game rules.
29. The method of claim 28 wherein both the dealer excludes at
least one card from determining a hand to be ranked and each player
excludes at least one card from each player's hand to form a hand
to be ranked against the banker's hand.
30. The method of claim 29 wherein the dealer and the player are
initially dealt exactly five cards and resolution of game rules is
based upon ranking of four card hands.
31. The method of claim 29 wherein the dealer is initially dealt
exactly six cards to form the banker's hand and the player is
initially dealt exactly five cards and resolution of game rules is
based upon ranking of four card hands.
32. The method of claim 29 wherein the dealer and the player are
initially dealt exactly five cards and resolution of game rules is
based upon ranking of four card hands, and the dealer is dealt a
sixth card for the banker's hand only if the dealer's four-card
poker hand rank with the initial five cards in the banker's hand
does not at least equal a predetermined banker's minimum hand
rank.
33. The method of claim 32 wherein the banker's minimum hand rank
is at least a rank less than one pair.
34. The method of claim 32 wherein the banker's minimum hand rank
is at least a rank of one pair.
35. The method of claim 29 wherein the at least a first wager is an
Ante and the player must make the additional wager to stay in the
game, and the additional wager may be a multiple selected from
values between 1.times. and 5.times..
36. The method of claim 29 wherein the at least a first wager is an
Ante and the player must make the additional wager to stay in the
game, and the additional wager may be a multiple selected from the
group consisting of 1.times., 2.times., 3.times., 4.times. and
5.times..
37. The method of claim 35 wherein the multiple wager may exceed
1.times. only if the player's four-card poker rank exceeds a
predetermined player's minimum four-card poker rank.
38. The method of claim 36 wherein the multiple wager may exceed
1.times. only if the player's four-card poker rank exceeds a
predetermined player's minimum four-card poker rank.
39. The method of claim 29 wherein the dealer is provided with one
additional card for the banker's hand after receiving the dealer's
initial plurality of cards.
40. The method of claim 39 wherein the player may make an
additional wager before the dealer receives the additional card for
the banker's hand.
41. The method of claim 40 wherein the player may make the
additional wager after the dealer has determined that the four-card
poker rank of the banker's hand in the initial cards dealt does not
meet at least the rank of a banker's predetermined minimum
four-card poker rank.
42. The method of claim 1, and further including a mandatory Super
Bonus bet, wherein payouts are made on the Super Bonus bet for
predetermined hand ranks.
43. The method of claim 42 wherein the Super Bonus bet pays odds
for predetermined winning hands.
44. The method of claim 42 wherein the Super Bonus and Ante bets
are equal.
45. A live player-banked casino game betting method comprising the
steps of: each player placing a first wager to participate in a
live casino game; a dealer dealing a plurality of cards to each
player; the dealer dealing a plurality of cards to the dealer as a
banker's hand; each player optionally folding or making an
additional bet that is a multiple of the Ante wager, at the option
of the player, but not necessarily equal to the Ante wager; and
resolving the wager according to predetermined game rules.
46. The method of claim 45 wherein the dealer combines the Ante and
additional bet after placement of the additional bet.
47. The method of claim 46 wherein the player is paid according to
a pay table when the player's hand ranking exceeds the dealer's
hand ranking.
48. The method of claim 47 wherein the pay table includes the
following predetermined winning combinations and corresponding
payout odds:
49. The method of claim 45 wherein the players are paid an
automatic bonus amount for a number of predetermined high-ranking
hands.
50. The method of claim 45 wherein the predetermined high-ranking
hands and corresponding payout odds are as follows:
51. The method of claim 45 wherein the multiple is between 1.times.
and 5.times. the Ante.
52. The method of claim 45, wherein the multiple is selected from
the group consisting of 1.times., 2.times., 3.times., 4.times. and
5.times. the Ante.
53. The method of claim 45, wherein the multiple is selected from
the group consisting of 1.times., 2.times. and 3.times. the
Ante.
54. A method of playing a wagering game, wherein each player
competes against a dealer and/or banker hand, the method
comprising: each player making an Ante bet to participate in the
game; dealing a first number of cards comprising at least a part of
a first hand to each player; dealing a second number of cards
comprising at least part of a second hand to the dealer, dealing an
additional card or cards, if necessary to complete the player and
dealer hands; after viewing his cards, each player either folding
or making a play bet that is a multiple of at least 1.times. the
Ante, the multiple selected by the player; each player discarding
at least one card from the player hand; the dealer discarding at
least one card from the dealer hand; comparing the hand values
using poker rank as a criteria; and awarding all players whose hand
is of a higher rank than the dealer and banker hand a payout.
55. The method of claim 54, wherein the first and second number of
at least part of a first hand of cards are equal.
56. The method of claim 55, wherein the number of cards in the
dealer and players hands is 5, and each player and the dealer play
with a best four card hand for a highest ranking four card poker
hand.
57. The method of claim 54, wherein a card count of the initially
dealt dealer and player at least part of a hands are equal.
58. The method of claim 54 and further comprising dealing at least
one community card that is used to complete dealer and player
hands.
59. The method of claim 54, wherein the dealer combines the Ante
and Play bets and collects and/or pays on the combined Ante/Play
wager.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 10/152,325 filed May 20, 2002 titled: FOUR
CARD POKER AND ASSOCIATED GAMES, which is a continuation-in-part of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/016,436 filed Nov. 1, 2001, now
U.S. Pat. No. 6,698,759, which in turn is a continuation-in-part of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/249,118 filed Feb. 12, 1999,
now U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,823 issued Feb. 12, 2002, which in turn is
a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
09/170,092 filed Oct. 13, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,916 issued
May 29, 2001, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 08/889,919 filed Jul. 10, 1997 now U.S. Pat.
No. 6,056,641 issued May 2, 2000, which is a division of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 08/504,023 filed Jul. 19, 1995, now
U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,774 issued Nov. 11, 1997, which claims priority
under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119 from United Kingdom Patent Applications
94/26324 filed Dec. 29, 1994 and 94/14822 filed Jul. 22, 1994.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to the field of games, card
games, wagering card games, player-banked games and especially
poker-type casino wagering games. More specifically, the method of
the present invention is an enhancement to a game of poker by
having a dealer or banker provided with a casino table poker
game.
[0004] 2. Background of the Art
[0005] As a leisure time activity, poker and other card games have
been popular for many years. The capital requirements for playing
poker and other table card games are very low. All that are needed
are one or more decks of cards, a playing surface and a few
participants. Five card poker is a game that most people know how
to play and many games have been developed using the same basic
priority or rank order of winning poker hands: Royal Flush,
Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three
of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair and high card(s) in hand.
[0006] For some time, it had been difficult to adapt the rules of
poker into a casino table game in which each player plays against
the house, rather than against other players. Although club-type
games with players wagering against each other have been popular,
it was desirable for a game to be played where the house received a
more direct payback from the game. In a conventional poker game, a
number of players (greater than one) are each dealt a poker hand by
one player (or the house dealer who does not play in the game) who
acts as the dealer. The player with the highest ranking hand based
on the established priority ranking of poker hands wins. Each
player in turn deals a hand as the game continues. It is usually
essential to have wagering steps in the game to maintain the
interest and excitement of the game. In the absence of wagering,
there is little to commend the play of poker.
[0007] Many places, both within and without the United States, have
legalized gaming. Poker is one of the games of chance offered in
both casinos and card rooms. In a conventional card room poker
game, the house provides a dealer, the playing cards, the table and
chairs, but the house does not play a hand. The house collects a
nominal percentage of each player's bet ("the rake") that
compensates the house for providing the facilities to the players.
Alternatively, the house may charge each player a set amount per
hand or for a specified length of time of play. Each player is
competing not against the house, but against all the other players
with the highest hand winning the total of all the wagers made on
that hand.
[0008] Many people do not like to play card room poker because each
player is competing against his fellow players, not against the
house. Many people would rather attempt to win money from an
impersonal source, the house or the casino, rather than from their
fellow players with whom they may be acquainted. Card room poker
also tends to not offer any bonus payments for particularly good
hands, although bonuses are sometimes paid for highest hands in
tournaments or for specific combinations of hands at poker tables
(e.g., a losing hand of at least a full house). While a Royal Flush
is a rare occurrence and generates a thrill for any poker player,
the player collects the same total wager that he would have
collected if the hand was won with a Three-of-a-Kind.
[0009] In the past fifteen years, a number of card games have been
introduced to provide poker-type card games as house-banked casino
table games. These games have focused on a number of elements in
providing excitement and staying power for the games. The games
must be quickly understood by players. The rules must be simple and
clear. The resolution of wagers by the dealer must be easily
accomplished. The reading of hands by a dealer must not be complex.
In addition, the games must provide a high enough hit frequency to
appeal to players, yet allow the house to retain a profitable
portion of the wagers. These needs have limited the number of
successful games that have been designed and successfully
introduced into the casino gaming market.
[0010] Among the successful games are Let It Ride Bonus.RTM. poker,
Three Card Poker.RTM. game and Caribbean Stud.RTM. poker. These
games have each achieved a high level of commercial success with
different formats and attributes.
[0011] Let It Ride.RTM. stud poker is described in U.S. Pat. No.
5,288,081. The Bonus version of the game is described in U.S. Pat.
No. 6,273,424. In this game, the player makes a wager in three
parts, three cards are dealt to each player (there may be only a
single player), and two common cards are dealt face down in front
of the dealer. The player examines his/her three cards, evaluates
the likelihood of a ranked hand (e.g., at least a pair of tens)
being achieved with those three cards and the as yet unseen common
cards. The player, based on judgment of that likelihood, may elect
to withdraw the first of the three-part wager or keep the wager at
risk. Upon the player making that decision, and withdrawing or
allowing the first wager to remain at risk, a first of the common
cards is turned face up. The player then can make another decision
with regard to the play of the hand and whether there is a changed
potential for a ranked hand. A second portion of the three-part
wager is then withdrawn or allowed to remain at risk. After this
decision, the last common card is exposed, and the rank of each
player's hand, including the common cards, is evaluated. Payments
are made to each player based on only the rank of hand achieved and
the number of wagers left on the table from the original three-part
wager. As noted, at least one wager must remain, as only two parts
can have been withdrawn. Wagers are paid off at rates (or odds),
for example, of 1:1 for pairs of at least 10's, 2:1 for two pairs,
3:1 for three-of-a-kind, 5:1 for straights, 7:1 for flushes, 12:1
for full houses, 50:1 for four-of-a-kind, 250:1 for straight
flushes, and 1000:1 for Royal Flushes. The specific payout odds can
be varied and often casinos choose payout tables that help them
achieve a desired percentage hold. Side bonus wagers may also be
placed in which ranked hands over three-of-a-kind receive fixed or
progressive bonuses, such as $25,000 for a Royal Flush. The bonus
payouts and hand combinations are typically displayed on a payout
table on the table surface. The winning bonus combinations are
typically a higher-ranking subset of the winning base game
outcomes.
[0012] The Three Card Poker.RTM. game (e.g., as described in U.S.
Pat. No. 5,685,774) deals three cards to each player and three
cards to the dealer, all face down. Initially one or two optional
wagers may be made by the player. One such wager is for the "Pair
Plus" bonus bet, a bet on achieving a winning combination included
in a payout table. Another wager is the game ante on which the
player competes against the dealer. The Pair Plus bet in one
example of the invention is a wager that the three card hand will
have a rank of at least one pair or more. The hand is paid off in
multiples of the bet depending upon the rank of the hand, with up
to 40:1 or more paid out for three-of-a-kind. In the ante wager, if
the player wants to compete against the dealer's hand (after
viewing the rank of the player's hand), an additional wager equal
to one or two times the ante must be placed by the player. House
rules typically dictate that the amount of the Bet is 2.times. the
amount of the Ante. The dealer's hand is then exposed. If the
dealer does not have a hand of at least a certain qualifying rank
(e.g., at least Queen high), the dealer's hand is not in play. If
the player has not made the additional wager, the ante is collected
by the dealer at some point in the play of the game. If the player
has made the additional wager, the ante is paid off to the player
if the dealer's hand has not qualified or if the dealer's hand is
not as high a rank as the player's hand. If the dealer's hand has
qualified, and the dealer's hand is higher than the player's hand,
then the ante and the additional wager are collected by the house.
If the dealer's hand qualifies (e.g., at least Queen high) and is
lower than the player's hand rank, both the ante and additional
wager are paid off, with multiples payable to the ante wager for
certain high ranking hands (e.g., straights, flushes, straight
flushes, three-of-a-kind, etc.). The ranking of the various poker
hands is different in the three card game than in five card poker
games.
[0013] In Caribbean Stud.RTM. poker, described in U.S. Pat. No.
4,836,533, a player makes an initial ante wager, and five cards are
dealt to each player and to a dealer. The dealer exposes one of the
five cards to influence the player. The player decides if the dealt
player hand is of sufficient rank to compete against the dealer's
hand. The player may fold the player's hand at that time, or
continue the game by placing an additional wager (referred to as
the "Bet") that is usually required to be twice the value of the
ante. The dealer's hand qualifies for active play against the Bet
with a rank of at least Ace-King. If the dealer qualifies, the rank
of the players' hands are compared with the rank of the dealer's
hand. Players with hands of higher rank than the dealer's hand win
both the ante and the Bet. Players with hands of lower rank than
the dealer's hand lose both the ante and the Bet. If an initial
side bet (often referred to as the Jackpot side bet) has been made
by the player, ranked hands of particularly high values (e.g., at
least a Flush) are paid absolute bonus amounts or may be paid out
of a progressive jackpot. This bonus side bet is paid whether or
not the player's hand rank exceeds the rank of the dealer's
hand.
[0014] Potter et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,494,295 and 5,697,614
describe a casino table card game and apparatus in which a player
may select any number of predetermined hand ranking rules to apply
to the play of a hand. A player is dealt an initial, partial hand,
and the player then elects from that initial hand which set(s) of
predetermined hand ranking rules apply to the hand. In a preferred
game, the dealer receives two separate bank hands, one that
utilizes the hand ranks of standard poker and one that utilizes the
hand ranks of low-ball poker. Once each player has received four of
his five cards, each player decides which of the dealer's two hands
to play against, with the option of playing against both (as in
selecting both ways in a Hi-Low poker game). Then each player
receives his or her fifth, and last, card. At this point, the
"bank" hands are exposed and each player's hand is compared to the
specific "bank" hand, or hands, that they played against, winners
are determined, and wagers are settled.
[0015] U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,827 describes another poker-type casino
table card game. This game may be played at a table with as many as
seven players competing against a dealer. The play of the game is
fairly complex, with each player having both multiple hands and
utilization of a dealer's card. One method of play is to provide
each player with three cards, and the dealer is provided with four
cards. The dealer's play of cards is predetermined, while the
players may select their desired holding. Player's hands are
competing directly against the dealer's hand in each of the hands
made by the player and the dealer.
[0016] It is always desirable to explore alternative games for play
in the field of gaming tables to provide players with varied
experiences and alternatives to known games.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0017] A casino table poker game is played with poker hands of
players competing against a poker hand of a dealer. A player enters
the game by placing one or both of a Bonus Bet (also referred to as
an Aces-Up wager) for competition against a pay table and an Ante
for direct competition against the dealer. The player is dealt more
cards than needed to form a poker hand. The dealer is also provided
with more than the required number of cards, from which a number of
cards are selected for the dealer's hand to play. The player is
provided with bonus payouts (e.g., multiple returns) on the Aces-Up
bet for ranked hands or a pair of Aces or better. The players'
hands also compete directly against the rank of the dealer's hand
if an additional play bet is placed to supplement the ante. The
additional play bet may be varied by the player to be 1.times.,
2.times., 3.times., 4.times., or 5.times. the amount of the ante.
Bonuses may also be paid on the Aces-Up or ante wager with
unusually high ranking player's hands (such as a straight flush or
four of a kind), whether or not the rank of the player's hand
exceeds the rank of the dealer's hand. In one player-banked form of
the game, there is no Aces-Up bet, and the Ante and additional bets
are combined by the dealer. Odds payouts are made on the combined
Ante/additional bet when the player's hand beats the dealer's
hand.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0018] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a gaming table layout suitable for
play of the game of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] A casino table card game is played on a table by at least
one player and a dealer. The dealer usually represents the house or
the casino in the play of the game. As shown in FIG. 1, wagering
areas 10 are provided for each player, and card receiving areas 12
are available for each of the players and the dealer. The wagering
area may include three distinct wagering zones for each player
comprising a Bonus wager area 14 (e.g., the Aces-Up wager), an Ante
area 16, and a Bet area 18. To initiate play of the game, at least
one (and usually only one) deck of standard or variant playing
cards is provided. In other forms of the game, multiple intermixed
decks of cards, decks with wild cards or special decks (i.e. decks
with certain cards removed) are used. Each player who wishes to
enter the play of the game makes at least one wager selected from
the Bonus Bet (or Aces-Up bet) and the Ante. One or both of these
wagers may be made. House rules may dictate that one or both bets
are mandatory. The player may also play the hand blind (also
referred to as the "House Way") by placing both an Ante and an
additional Game Bet (referred to in FIG. 1 as the "Play Bet").
After placement of the at least one wager, each player who has made
an at least one wager is provided with a number of cards,
preferably five, from which to select a best four-card poker hand.
The cards may be dealt as a complete set of five cards or in
portions of one or more cards. At about the same time, the dealer
is dealt a number of cards exceeding four. In one example of the
invention, six cards are dealt. One or more additional cards can be
dealt to the player, the dealer or both. One or more of the player
cards can also be dealt as common or community cards. For example,
a player might receive four cards in his hand and one card in a
community card-designated area on the layout. Each player plays
with is or her best three-cards and the community card. Or the
player plays with the best four cards, regardless of whether the
hand includes one or more community cards.
[0020] In a player-banked version, one of the players is the banker
and all other players play against the player-banker's hand as if
that player were the dealer in a standard casino table game. The
dealer's hand of cards is the banker hand, and the banker may or
may not have cards in his/her playing area while that player banks
the game.
[0021] Although in one example of the invention the dealer receives
one more card than each player, the number of cards dealt can be
equal. What is important is that enough cards are dealt so that at
least one discard can be made.
[0022] A "player-banked" game operates with essentially the same
rules as a standard casino table game, but a player is randomly
selected then elects or is elected to bank payments in a round of
play, as if the player were the house. Various methods are used by
casinos to choose a banker, including random selection, previous
immediate winners, and taking turns in order. For example, when a
game is offered in a California card room, players bank the game.
In order for players to feel they can afford to bank a particular
game, the payout odds must be kept low enough to prevent players
from avoiding their turn banking the game. The higher bonus payouts
or jackpots are therefore preferably eliminated in player-banked
versions of the invention. Higher payout odds are acceptable in a
more traditional Las Vegas style casino where the house banks the
game. Jackpot or super-bonus payouts are therefore usually
eliminated in player-banked games, or separate wagers of the
jackpot type may be funded by side wagers to the house or to a
progressive jackpot.
[0023] In the player-banked version, the game is played as a method
of playing a player-banked poker-type card game. Each player in the
game and a banker places at least one ante wager to participate in
the game. In one form of the game, a four card poker hand is
played. The players are dealt five cards and the banker receives
six cards. The player reviews the five cards received at that
player position and determines what best four-card poker hand can
be made from the five cards. If the player believes that the cards
cannot form a four-card poker rank of sufficiently high rank to
warrant competition against the dealer's hand (even without that
hand or any portion of that hand having been displayed), the player
may fold the hand, refusing to place an additional wager. At this
time or usually a later time, the Ante would be collected by the
dealer. In one example of the invention, if the player made the
Aces-Up bet and the Ante bet and decides to fold, the Aces-Up bet
is swept along with the Ante. In another form of the invention, if
the player remains in the game by making the Play Bet and the
player's hand does not contain a hand ranking of a pair of Aces or
higher, and a bet was made on the Ace-Up wager, that wager may be
now or later collected by the dealer.
[0024] If the player determines that the rank of the best four-card
poker hand that can be made from the five cards dealt to the player
is sufficiently high as to warrant competition against the dealer
(or if the player wants to `bluff` against the dealer, particularly
if the dealer must qualify), the player makes an additional wager,
referred to as a play bet or game bet. That additional wager may be
multiples of the Ante, such as 1.times., 2.times., 3.times.,
4.times. or 5.times. the amount of the original Ante, at the option
of the player. House rules may dictate the ranges of multiples that
can be bet. For example, on high stakes tables, the house may allow
higher multiples, while at lower stakes tables, smaller ranges of
multiples are permitted.
[0025] In some examples of the invention, the game bet is 1.times.
the ante unless the player has a qualifying hand such as a pair of
kings or better for example. If the player's hand qualifies he has
the option of increasing his bet. Fractional amounts or larger
amounts may be allowed, but they can complicate the payout or alter
the hold for the house, so those changes are in the discretion of
the casino. After discarding excess cards and placing the Game Bet,
or placing the fifth card face down, or merely leaving the fifth
card in the hand so that the hand may be arranged and ranked by the
dealer or player when exposed, the player's hand is placed on the
table for display. The dealer's hand is then revealed after each
and every player has determined whether or not the Game Bet is to
be made. The dealer compares the value or rank of his hand against
the value or rank of each player's hand, usually in succession
around the table, and each series of wagers (the Aces-Up wager, the
Ante and the Game Bet) is resolved. Ties on the rank of player's
hands and dealers hands may be either paid to the player, called a
push, or collected by the dealer, depending upon the desired house
advantage the casino wants to build into the game. The dealer may
either always qualify (a preferred method of play), or a level of
qualification may be built into the game (such as at least Queen
high, at least King high, at least Queen-Jack, At least King-Jack,
at least Ace-King, or at least one pair).
[0026] Resolution on the wagers may be based upon pay tables for
the Aces-Up wager, pay tables on the Ante, and/or the Game Bet.
Preferred play of the game provides pay tables for one or more of
the Aces-Up wager, the Ante and an automatic bonus payout on the
ante. The Game Bet pays one-to-one with a player win. This
differentiation is based upon the fact that with certain very high
ranking hands, the player would be at an extreme advantage in
placing a 5.times. Game Bet, assuring a very high multiple payout,
with essentially no risk or little risk involved in the placement
of the 5.times. Game Bet wager. The payout of wagers may be
tailored by the casino by selecting pay tables designed for greater
player payouts or greater casino earnings.
[0027] Although a four card poker game is one form of the
invention, the game could also be played with three, five or seven
cards, with necessary adjustments to the pay tables.
[0028] For example, in a four card game, the hierarchy of hands is
as follows:
[0029] Four of a Kind
[0030] Straight Flush
[0031] Three of a Kind
[0032] Flush
[0033] Straight
[0034] Two Pair
[0035] Pair
[0036] High Card
[0037] A three or five card game would require a different
hierarchy of hand rankings.
[0038] There are many variations of the game that may be played
within the scope of the present invention. The following variations
on the format described above shall be described in a manner that
should enable those skilled in the art to appreciate the expanded
scope of play available, rather than considering any single
described method as limiting the intended scope of the game.
[0039] Version I--Best 4 of 5 Cards No Qualification, Dealer Gets
Extra Card
[0040] Each player receives 5 cards, and the dealer/banker receives
6 cards. The players and the dealer/banker identify their best four
card poker hands. The players may rely upon the house for
assistance, if needed. The dealer/banker always qualifies, that is,
the dealer's/banker's hand and any players' hands are always in
play if the Ante bet is made. Players have the choice of placing
one or both of the Ante Bet and a Bonus Bet (e.g., the Aces-Up
wager). House rules may require the player to make the Ante Bet,
the Bonus Bet, or both the Ante and Bonus Bet. The Ante wager is a
wager played directly against the rank of the dealer's hand, and
the Aces Up Bonus Bet is a bet against a pay table. If after
viewing his/her hand, a player chooses to stay in the game against
the dealer/banker (keeping the Ante wager in play), the player must
make an additional Game Bet to stay in the game. This Game Bet may
be, for example, between 1 and 5 (or between 1 and 4, or between 1
and 3) times the amount of the initial Ante wager at the option of
the player. In other forms of the game, the player's Game Bet must
be 1.times. the ante unless the player holds a qualifying hand of a
pair of Aces or better. If the player has a qualifying hand, he can
bet up to 3.times. the Ante. Preferably, the player must hold a
pair of aces or better to win on the Bonus Bet (hence the name
`Aces-Up`). The Bonus Bet preferably pays a maximum return of 50:1,
but payouts may theoretically be as high as 500:1 for certain
hands, such as for four Aces. The Bonus Bet side bet game may or
may not be present in the rules of the game. In this example of the
invention, the game pays an automatic bonus for certain high
ranking hands according to a payout schedule. This bonus is paid on
the Ante wager, and does not require the player to make a separate
bet to qualify for this payout. For example, automatic bonuses are
paid on three of a kind, straight flushes and four of a kind.
[0041] Version II--Best 4 of 5 Cards, Dealer Must Initially Qualify
or Redraw
[0042] Each player and the dealer/banker gets five cards to make
the best four-card poker hand. If the dealer's/banker's hand does
not equal or exceed a certain rank (e.g., a pair of 2's or better),
he discards all cards and draws a new five card hand, and then
makes a four-card poker hand from the five cards. The player must
make the Ante wager to be in the game against the dealer. After
redrawing, and when redrawing is not required, the dealer/banker
always qualifies to play against the player. It is possible to
allow the player or require the player to make the Ante wager 1)
before the deal of cards, 2) after the deal of cards but before any
cards are revealed, 3) after the deal of cards and after the player
has reviewed his cards but before the dealer/banker has exposed
cards, 4) after the deal of cards and a partial or complete
revelation of the dealer's/banker's five cards (but before review
of the player's cards), or 5) after the deal of cards and a review
of the players' cards and a partial revelation or complete
revelation of the dealer's/banker's five cards, which play might be
restricted to where the dealer/banker has not qualified (but not
after revelation of any sixth card). The player's hand may be
required to exceed a minimum rank to bet more than 1.times. the
Ante. For example, if the player has a qualifying hand of a pair of
Kings or better, the player can make a Game Bet of 1.times.,
2.times. or 3.times. the Ante. As with Version I, the rules can
provide that the Ante bet is mandatory and the Bonus bet is
optional, the Bonus Bet (side bet) is mandatory and the Ante Bet is
optional, or both initial bets (the Ante and the Bonus Bet) are
mandatory. The automatic bonus against a pay table on the Ante bet
may or may not be present in the rules of the game. The Bonus Bet
game may or may not be present, also in the rules of the game. In
this example, a pair of aces or better qualifies the player for an
Aces-Up payout of 1:1. The automatic bonus pays even if the
player's hand is lower in rank than the dealer's/banker's hand.
[0043] Version III--Dealer and Player's Make Best 4 of 5 Card Hand,
Dealer Must Qualify to Play
[0044] The players and dealer/banker each receive five cards to
make their best four-card poker hand. The betting/wagering rules
and procedures are the same as in the previous versions, except for
those listed below. Either the Ante is mandatory, the Ante or the
Bonus Bet is mandatory, or both initial wagers are mandatory. The
dealer/banker must qualify to play (for example, with a hand of Ace
high or better, King-Queen or higher, Ace-King or higher, pair of
deuces or higher, etc.). The automatic bonus side bet game against
a pay table is present in the rules of this example of the game,
although such side bets and bonuses are often excluded from
player-banked games and could be excluded here. Paytable
adjustments may or may not be made when excluding the side bet and
bonus wagers.
[0045] If the player stays in the game, the player can bet between
1.times. to 3.times. the Ante if the player has a qualifying hand
of a pair of Kings or better. Otherwise, the maximum Game Bet is
1.times. the Ante. The lowest ranking hand that qualifies for the
bonus payout is a pair of Aces or better.
[0046] Version IV--Four Card Poker with Super Bonus
[0047] The dealer/banker and each player are dealt five cards each.
The cards are used to make the best four card poker hand by the
players and the dealer/banker. The hands are ranked according to
the following four card poker ranking schedule:
[0048] Four of a Kind
[0049] Straight Flush
[0050] Three of a Kind
[0051] Flush
[0052] Straight
[0053] Two Pair
[0054] Pair
[0055] High Card
[0056] Players can make a bet against the dealer/banker (Ante), a
bet against the pay table (Aces-Up Bonus Bet) or both. House rules
may require one or both bets to be mandatory. In addition, the
players may or may not be required to make a Super Bonus bet in an
amount equal to or unequal to the amount of the Ante in this
example of the invention. In one form of the invention, the Super
Bonus bet is mandatory and is equal in value to the Ante.
[0057] Players place equal bets on the Ante and/or Super Bonus
and/or Bonus spots on the layout. After viewing the cards, the
player must fold or place an additional Bet (play wager). If the
player's hand does not qualify with a pair of Kings or better, he
must bet 1.times. the ante to an in the game. With a qualifying
hand of a pair of Kings or better, he can bet an amount equal to or
multiples of the Ante, such as 1.times., 2.times. or 3.times. the
Ante.
[0058] If the player has a higher ranking hand than the
dealer's/banker's hand, the player is paid 1:1 on the ante and the
play bet. If the dealer's/banker's hand outranks the player's hand,
the player loses the ante and the play bet.
[0059] The player has the option (or may be required) at the
beginning of the game to place an Aces-Up bonus bet. In this
example of the invention, the player wins a bonus payout for a pair
of Aces or better. If the player makes the Ante and Play bets and
beats the dealer/banker, but does not have a pair of Aces or
better, the player pushes on the bonus bet. The player is always
paid on the Aces-Up bonus bet, regardless of whether or not the
player's hand beats the dealer's/banker's hand.
[0060] In addition, this example of the invention includes a
mandatory Super Bonus bet that is made in an amount equal to the
ante. The player wins a payout for certain high ranking hands such
as a straight flush or four of a kind. A pay table is provided on
the layout to identify winning hands and payout amounts. These
superbonus bets are not typical of player-banked games and may be
excluded or may be within the award/play province of the house,
card-room, State, commission or the like, and not be controlled by
the player/banker.
[0061] A failure to obtain a "Super Bonus" hand may or may not
result in an automatic loss of the bet. For example, when the
player's hand against the dealer/banker does not qualify with a
pair of kings or a straight flush or better, but the hand still
beats the dealer/banker, the Super Bonus bet pushes. But, if you
fold on the ante or lose the ante and play bets against the
dealer/banker, the Super Bonus bet is also lost.
[0062] The Super Bonus bet is desirable in some instances where it
is desired to provide the house or the card room with more of an
advantage. In this example of the game, removing the mandatory
Super Bonus bet causes the game to favor the player. However, other
rule changes such as requiring the dealer/banker to qualify, or
raising the minimum qualification hand ranking when making the play
bet are other means to shift the odds to favor the house.
[0063] Version V--Player Banked Card Room 4-Card Poker Game
[0064] This game is a simplified version of traditional Four Card
Poker. First, the "Aces Up" bonus bet is eliminated to reduce
volatility in the game. The game must be less volatile in order to
encourage the players to bank the game. If the banker chooses to
bank only to a certain amount, a syndicate banker may back up the
hand. If no player wishes to bank the hand, the syndicate banker
may act as banker.
[0065] The house is compensated by taking a percentage of the
amounts wagered, a fixed fee per round or a fee per unit of time.
Most commonly the house takes a percentage of amounts wagered.
[0066] The dealer holds and manages the banker's hand. When the
banker is banking the game, all moneys lost go to the banker, and
all monies won are paid by the banker. If the banker's funds are
limited and cannot cover all the action, the bets that are not
covered are returned to the player, or are backed by a back-up
banker, which is typically a syndicate banker, but could be another
player. Alternately, the syndicate banker may bank the entire game.
The order in which the players are permitted to bank the game is
determined by the house. Typically the player position is randomly
selected and then players are selected in clockwise or
counterclockwise order in future rounds.
[0067] As with the traditional game players and the dealer receive
five cards to make a best four card poker hand. The player must
make a play wager to stay in the game. The play wager is 1.times.
to 3.times. the Ante wager, at the option of the player. Higher
multiples of the Ante may be played such as 4.times. or 5.times.
the Ante. If the player chooses not to stay in the game, the player
folds and loses the Ante wager. There is no player qualification to
increase the bet above 1.times. the Ante.
[0068] In this form of the game, once the Play wager is made, the
dealer stacks the Play and Ante wagers and the wager becomes one
single wager. Merging the wagers into a single wager simplifies
resolution of the wager for the dealer. There is no dealer or
player minimum qualifying hand in this form of the game.
[0069] Whenever the player's hand outranks the banker's hand, the
player wins on the bets that are in action. If the rank of the
player and dealer's hand is the same, players win. The typical
payout is 1:1 on the Ante/Bet combination but there are exceptions.
For certain high-ranking hands, higher odds payouts are paid on the
Ante/Bet combination, rather than 1:1 odds. Higher payout odds are
only paid if the player hand beats the dealer hand. For example, if
a player has a four of a kind (of 3's), while the dealer has a four
of a kind (of 2's), the player wins 3:1 on the Ante and Play
wagers.
[0070] An exemplary pay table for this form of the game is shown
below:
1 Hand Payout on Ante/Bet Combination Four of a Kind 5:1 Straight
Flush 4:1 Three of a Kind 3:2 All other winning hands 1:1
[0071] Automatic bonuses may or may not be part of the game.
Automatic bonuses may be paid on the Ante/Bet or on the Ante, or on
the Bet only for certain high ranking hands. For example a 4 of a
kind, a straight flush and three of a kind could pay automatic
bonus odds payouts. Corresponding odds payouts are paid and are
typically shown on a pay table printed on the layout.
[0072] The play of the game may be completed manually on a
non-electronic game table, with the dealer using a physical deck(s)
of cards, visually identifying the amounts and positions of wagers,
manually collecting and paying out wagers, etc. It is possible to
incorporate some degree or nearly an entire electronic system into
the game table or into the play of the game. Such partial or
complete electronic systems may perform such tasks as identifying
the existence of a wager (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,229,534;
5,337,973; and 5,377,994), or may provide virtual cards from an
electronically stored deck of cards (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos.
5,255,915; and 5,897,436). The games of the present invention could
also be executed on a multiple player gaming platform including a
simulated virtual dealer, such as the device and system described
in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/179,748, filed Oct. 28,
1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,607,443. The content of this patent
specification is hereby incorporated by reference.
[0073] The capabilities of technology are constantly expanding, and
the improvements in technology should not be considered to avoid
the underlying invention of the play of this game. For example,
player monitoring systems, security systems, integrated systems
where shufflers identify the number of cards and/or identify the
specific cards and their positions in the play of the game are
contemplated in the practice of the present invention.
[0074] There are a number of advantages in the game of the present
invention. The fold rate on this game is approximately 21%, which
is lower than the fold rate in other known games, such as Three
Card Poker.RTM.. This feature is believed to attract and retain
players, making the game more appealing to casinos.
[0075] Players win this game approximately 48% of the time, which
exceeds the expectation of many players, and increases player
appeal. In some situations, e.g., when the player has a qualifying
hand, additional betting opportunities are available, such as
tripling down on the Ante, increasing player appeal.
[0076] By varying the number of cards made available to the
dealer/banker and/or players, in forming the hands, by requiring
the dealer's/banker's hand to qualify or by eliminating dealer
qualification, by modifying the payouts and winning hand
combinations possible on the bonus bet, by adding the Super Bonus
bet etc., the payouts can be made to pay as high as 500:1 e.g., for
four of a kind hands. This feature is believed to attract and
retain more poker players.
* * * * *